


I'm glad you're here Merlin.

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, I mean that's basically all it is, M/M, Post Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-16
Updated: 2013-03-16
Packaged: 2017-12-05 12:48:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/723480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur rises again, and he's a bit confused. Sorry I suck at summaries!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm glad you're here Merlin.

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually for an English Assessment (am I allowed to post it online if it's going to make up some of my GCSE?) I hope you enjoy it! None of the characters are mine, if they were Arthur wouldn't have died. Comments are love and if you like you can follow me on tumblr here: http://brolinstolemyheart.tumblr.com/

It was a rather warm July night and Merlin was sat at the edge of the lake just like he had every other night for 2000 years. And like every other night Merlin waited. He waited for some sign that tonight was the night that the prophecy Kilgharaah had given him would come to be. That tonight Arthur would rise again.

Sitting there by the lake, he found himself thinking about how everything had changed so much.  Granted, it had been 2000 years since the day he lost Arthur, so it was to be expected. However that didn't stop Merlin thinking about his life in Camelot and how this lake was the only part of Camelot that is still recognisable. The citadel was gone, the lower town now bares the sign "Tesco" which Merlin has come to learn is like a market but indoors. Very strange if you ask him. Albion is still there of course, only now they refer to it as "The United Kingdom." Every time he hears those words, Merlin feels both a well of pride for Arthur uniting the kingdoms of Albion but a sadness that the King never got to see what he created.

And what a great creation it was. Merlin took a while to adapt to the modern modes of transport but he's grown to accept them as rather a brilliant way to get around. Much quicker than the horses he's had to use throughout the years. A part of him wonders how Arthur would feel about cars and the like. Or planes, he'd be very confused by that particular development. Merlin chuckled to himself realising Arthur would think them the work of sorcery.

"You're really missing out Arthur. They've got such wonderful things here. I'm even rather well known! As are you and Gwen and Lance. Although the stuff they have written about Guinevere and Lancelot... perhaps it's best you don't find that out." Merlin is speaking to the open water, as he does every night, hoping that Arthur would hear him.

"You know, Kilgharrah said you'd rise again when Albion needed you most; Once and Future King and all that. Now I don't mean to sound impatient Arthur but it's just, we've had two World Wars! Not one, two! I knew you were a lazy prat but what exactly are you waiting for?" Merlin laid back on the grass and closed his eyes. "Well, if you're going to give me the silent treatment, I'm going for a nap. Don't hesitate to wake me up if you need anything. Or if you, well you know, decide to be not dead anymore."

When Merlin woke again his first thought was "Christ, it's gotten cold out here." He looks around and spots a small pile of branches. Smiling to himself, he reaches out a hand and spoke quietly, " _Forbearnan_ " and as his eyes flashed to gold, the branches catch light. He walks to sit down by the fire and keep himself warm. He remembers the  first time he revealed his powers to Arthur, how he created a dragon out of the embers and how Arthur had looked, for the first time, scared of Merlin. Of course there were other emotions there, betrayal, hurt, anger. But Merlin will never forget the fear.  " _Upastige draca_ " he says and from the embers rises a dragon just like before.

"I thought you would have learned something new by now. 2000 years and you're doing the same trick? Honestly _Mer_ lin."

Merlin's eyes lost their burning gold colour and the dragon disappeared into the air. He jumped around so fast he nearly lost his footing and stumbled backwards, narrowly missing standing in the fire. "Merlin... you've learned no new tricks and you're still just as clumsy as you were then. What have you been doing this whole time? Let me guess, you were at the Tavern weren't you."

Merlin glared at the man in front of him and then his face softened and he mumbled something to Arthur before lowering his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Was it, 'Oh Arthur, you look so good for someone who just spent 2000 years dead in a lake'? Oh it was, well thank you for noticing Merlin."

Merlin looked back up at Arthur and said "I said, they are called Pubs now not Taverns and no I haven't spent this whole time in one you clotpole. If you wouldn't mind Arthur, could we maybe continue this conversation at my house? It's really very cold out here."

"Quit moaning, I've been in a lake. In a lake. For 2000 years. A lake. They literally freeze you know?" Arthur said matter-of-factly to Merlin and they start on the walk back to Merlin's house.

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The next morning, Merlin wakes to see Arthur sat on the floor in front of the TV. "Well he's managed to switch it on" Merlin thinks and goes to sit next to him.

"Merlin, what in the world is this contraption. Why is there small humans inside this box? Merlin, is this the work of sorcery?" Merlin looked at Arthur's face and bless him he looked so genuinely confused by this TV set.

"It's a TV Arthur, and for the record no it's not the work of sorcery and those people aren't actually trapped inside the screen."

"So how...I mean I can see them but they're not really in there? Where are they then?"

"Well it's sort of like...erm...well they film people acting and then they put that film into a machine and then they send it to our TV's through wires and such like so we can see them."

"Merlin?"

"Yes Arthur."

"I don't understand a word of what you just said..."

"Of course you don't. Never mind, we have more pressing issues any way." Merlin says glancing at Arthur dressed in Merlin's clothes. Arthur just looked at him confused, as if he can't fathom what could be more important than this box of sorcery.  "Arthur, I don't know if you know this or ... no of course you don't know this. Anyway, it's 2013. It's not generally accepted when people wander around in chain-mail, a cape and carry a sword. And as you posses nothing else, we need to go shopping. " Arthur thinks about this for a moment and eventually see's Merlin's logic.

"Right, let's go then." Merlin grabs his keys and ushers Arthur out the front door and points to the car. He unlocks the car and gets in.

"Arthur, you have to get in so we can you know, go shopping."

"What is it?" Arthur is staring at the car with such intensity, Merlin is rather surprised he doesn't burn a hole straight through the metal.

"It's a car. You get in and I drive it to the shopping centre. It's a bit like a horse only better, faster and well not alive." Merlin leans over and pushes Arthur's door open. "In you get."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Merlin, I said I was sorry! Are you angry with me?" Arthur asked for the 5th time as Merlin made his way back into the house.

"No... No, I'm not angry with you Arthur. My fault really, I probably should have told you that you can't just take things from stores....or threaten to have security thrown in the dungeons for threatening King Arthur. " Merlin fell down onto the couch and let out an exasperated sigh.  Arthur sat next to him and said,

"In my defence I didn't actually know that I wasn't King anymore. I mean when I rose from the lake I looked rather a lot like the King. " Merlin didn't reply, just reached for the controller to turn the TV on. It was just his luck that when he turned it on, he was greeted with a documentary on planes.

"Merlin. Merlin what is that? Is it some form of bird? That is a rather strange looking bird. Has it eaten those people?"  Merlin couldn't help but laugh at that, this must all be very confusing for Arthur. The last thing he remembers is a time where lights were only candles and horses were the only means of travel besides boat and foot.

"No Arthur, it's called a plane. A bit like the car, and the train I told you about when we were shopping.  Only this one travels through the air. They can take you anywhere you know, America, Australia. Anywhere." Arthur just looked more confused by this, which surprised Merlin slightly.

"What is a "America" and a "Australia"?"  Arthur asked, and Merlin realised these places hadn't been discovered whilst Arthur was around the first time. Merlin get's up to get his cover off his bed and then returns to sitting on the couch. Arthur takes this as his cue to lay down, resting his head in Merlin's lap. "Merlin. What are they?"

"They are countries Arthur, like the United Kingdom, but bigger. Much, much bigger" Merlin replied whilst also flicking through the channels to find something better to watch.

"So, I'm not King, there're little people in a box but not really it's actually film, there are big boxes that move like horses but are not really horses, there are longer tube things that are like the big boxes but not really because they go faster, there are flying bird things that aren't really birds but planes so people can fly and there are new countries that are like this one but not really?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it. Rather a lot to learn in a day, I know, but I'm here to help." Arthur was rather tired and just before he fell asleep he looked up at Merlin and said,

"There's an awful lot of not really in this strange world Merlin. I'm glad I have you though."

And Merlin thought he was rather glad to have Arthur back too.

 


End file.
